Wheel flange and rail lubricating apparatus



June 6, 1933. H. MILLER, JR

WHEEL FLANGE AND RAIL LUBRICATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1932 Zia WW Henry Mz'ZZEr,.J11

June 6, 1933.

HEnjjr Mz'ZZEr, J

other vehicle using Patented June 6, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE HENRY MILLER, JR., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI Application filed February 15, 1932. Serial No. 593,122.

The invention forming the subject matter of this application is a lubricating device adapted to be applied to the flanges and rims of locomotive wheels or to the wheels of any flanged wheels.

The main object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is adapted to retard the wear of wheel flanges as Well as the rails with which they contact in ordinary use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which deposits a film of oil on the inside of the rail head to lubricate and reduce the wear and tear on rails, frogs, switches, crossings and other track fixtures, and also to reduce the flange wear on other rolling stock moving over these parts of a track.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a locomotive flange wheel having the present invention applied thereto, part of the said invention being shown in section to i1- lustrate details of construction;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a link used to support one of the elements of the.

invention in proper position over the flange of a locomotive wheel;

Figure 3 is a vertical central section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4 through a reservoir forming an essential part of the invention;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the device shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

As shown in the drawings, the apparatus forming the subject matter of this invention is supported by standards 1 and 2 suitably secured to a runner 3 forming part of the framework of the wheeled vehicle to which the apparatus is applied. The vehicle wheel 4 is shown as having a flange 5 on the edge thereof, said wheel being suitably mounted for rotation about the center 6 on the framework of the vehicle which includes the part 3.

The standard 2 is suitably welded or otherwise secured to the part 3 of the framework, and at its upper end is provided with a horizontally extending arm 7 to which is bolted a tank 8 provided at its upper end with a capped inlet 9. The tank 8 has a nipple l0 extendlng from the bottom thereof through the arm 7 and is connected by a short length of pipe 11 to a globe valve 12. The lower part of the globe valve 12 is suitably connected to the upper end of a flexible pipe 13 having its lower end suitably connected to the inlet aperture 14 of a reservoir 15. The reservoir 15 is provided at the wheel side thereof with a lug 16 to which is pivotally connected one end of a link 17 having its other end 18 enlarged and bent as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings to form an offset counter-balance 19. The counter-balance 19 is provided with an aperture 20 adapted to receive a bolt 21 for pivotally connecting the link 17 to the upper end of the standard 1. The standard 1 may be provided with a stop 22 to limit the downward movement of the reservoir 15' and its contents so that in all positions the reservoir 15 may ride lightly over the edge of the flange 5.

The reservoir 15 comprises a chamber 23 communicating with the aperture 14. This chamber is provided at its lower end with two bores 24 and 25, symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of a center plane 26. These bores connect the bottom with two grooves 27 and 28, respectively, formed on the rear wall of the reservoir and leading down to a deep groove 29 formed lengthwise and obliquely at the lower end of the reservoir, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings. The groove 29 is shaped to conform closely to the cross sectional contour of the flange 5, and during the wear of the groove will eventually come into close fitting contact with the edge of said flange.

The grooves 27 and 28 are formed for convenience in the casting of the reservoir so that any reservoir may be applied to the right or left hand wheels without embodying any change in construction other than that of plugging one of the bores 24 or so as to of the chamber 23 limit the feed of lubricant from the chamber L3 to the inner side of the flange.

In use, the chamber 23 will be filled with wool waste or other similar suitable material 5} to receive oil flowing through the flexible pipe 13 from the tank 8. Of course, the globe valve 12 will be regulated to determine the rate of flow of oil from the chamber 23, and consequently to determine therate of flow of oil through either of the grooves 27 and 28 to the edge and sides of the flange 5. I

It is to be understood that any kind of suitable piping may be used for the flexible pipe 13. The only requirement is that it shall be sufficiently flexible or bendable to accommodate the normal movements of the reservoir in all directions to agree with the movements of the wheel 5. It will be understood, of course, that any suitable combination of short lengths of pipe and flexible joints maybe substituted for the flexible pipe 13 so long as the combination provides the degree of flexibility required for this part of the apparatus.

W'hile I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a vehicle having a flanged wheel adapted to roll on a track, of a reservoir having the lower part thereof in contact with the flange of said wheel and having a part thereof grooved to conduct lubri ant to said flange, and counterbalance mea-nspivotally connected to the vehicle to support the reservoir in predetermined position and with slight contact on the flange of said wheel.

2. The combination with a vehicle having a flanged wheel adapted to roll on a track, of a reservoir having the lower part thereof in contact with the flange of said wheel and having a part thereof grooved to conduct lubricant to said flange, counterbalance means pivotally connected to the vehicle to support the reservoir in predetermined position and with slight contact on the flange of said wheel, and flexible valve controlled means for supplying lubricant to said reservoir. V

3. Means for applying a lubricant to the flange of a wheel comprising a body having an internal lubricant chamber, the lower end of said body grooved to conform with the cross sectional shape of the wheel flange, spaced grooves on the rear face of thevbody positioned on opposite sides of the medial plane bisecting said flange shaped groove and conduits extending from the lower end of the lubricant chamber to the upper ends of said spaced grooves.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY MILLER, J R. 

